1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus connected to a printer through an interface such as IEEE1394.
2. Related Background Art
Heretofore, a host (personal computer) and a printer have been connected to each other through an interface (Centronics interface or the like) by one-to-one correspondence. Print data and a print instruction transmitted from the host are sequentially processed by the printer so as to thereby perform a print. The print data and the print instruction are generated by a printer driver by means of a control code inherent in the printer. They are then transmitted to the printer.
The printer analyzes the control code transmitted from the host. If the control code indicates the print data, the printer stores the print data as much as printable. Some control codes of the print data take a raster form. The stored print data is image-processed and converted. Image data is restructured in such a form that it can be printed by a print head and a drum mounted in the printer. The image data is transmitted to the print head and the drum whereby the print is performed. The control code is used so as to thereby perform a processing for various control codes such as a paper feed/discharge and a feed.
However, through the prior-art interface (Centronics interface or the like), the host and the printer are connected to each other by one-to-one correspondence. Such an interface is used only for a transmission of the print data to the printer and an obtainment of information from the printer. Through the interface such as IEEE1394, apparatuses other than the conventional host and printer, for example, a digital video camera (DV), a digital camera (DC), a scanner and the like are connected to one another. A plurality of hosts and a plurality of printers can be also connected to one another. On the IEEE1394 interface, the data is transmitted to/received from a plurality of apparatuses. Therefore, the interface is not used exclusively for the host and the printer. A data transmission bandwidth is shared with a plurality of apparatuses. It is thus necessary to distribute the data transmission bandwidth among the apparatuses in an optimum manner and to effectively use the data transmission bandwidth.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for processing information in which a printer performance is recognized, a host determines a data transmission bandwidth suitable for the printer performance and the optimum transmission bandwidth is used so as to thereby perform a transmission of print data.
In order to solve the above problem, an information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: recognizing means for recognizing a performance of a printing apparatus; setting means for setting an isochronous packet transmission bandwidth in accordance with the performance of the printing apparatus recognized by the recognizing means; and transmitting means for transmitting print data to the printing apparatus by the use of the isochronous packet transmission bandwidth set by the setting means.
Furthermore, the information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: recognizing means for recognizing a type of print data; setting means for setting an isochronous packet transmission bandwidth in accordance with the type of print data recognized by the recognizing means; and transmitting means for transmitting the print data to the printing apparatus by the use of the isochronous packet transmission bandwidth set by the setting means.
Furthermore, the information processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: recognizing means for recognizing a print mode; setting means for setting an isochronous packet transmission bandwidth in accordance with the print mode recognized by the recognizing means; and transmitting means for transmitting the print data to the printing apparatus by the use of the isochronous packet transmission bandwidth set by the setting means.
A method of processing information according to the present invention comprises the steps of: recognizing a performance of a printing apparatus; setting an isochronous packet transmission bandwidth in accordance with the performance of the printing apparatus recognized by the recognizing step; and transmitting print data to the printing apparatus by the use of the isochronous packet transmission bandwidth set by the setting step.
Furthermore, the information processing method of the present invention comprises the steps of: recognizing a type of print data; setting an isochronous packet transmission bandwidth in accordance with the type of print data recognized by the recognizing step; and transmitting the print data to the printing apparatus by the use of the isochronous packet transmission bandwidth set by the setting step.
Furthermore, the information processing method of the present invention comprises the steps of: recognizing a print mode; setting an isochronous packet transmission bandwidth in accordance with the print mode recognized by the recognizing step; and transmitting the print data to the printing apparatus by the use of the isochronous packet transmission bandwidth set by the setting step.